Each one has to find his peace from within. And peace to be real must be unaffected by outside circumstances. Mahatma Gandhi
In the survey given in class of what issues are most stressful, the most cited were depression, violence, anger, and the lack of money or power.
After each of these issues below, a philosophical approach is suggested based on the philosophies we studied in the course. Note that these are thumbnail responses and not detailed ones.
One’s own sadness or despondency: Buddha and others said, "know yourself." There is a part of you that is always even-tempered. Find it, shift to it when you get upset. Spinoza emphasized that one’s own personal problems are not important. They are only there to show you what you need to resolve so that you can turn your attention to other issues.
Other people’s sadness or despondency: Compassion heals all (Christianity & Buddhism). Put yourself in their shoes, to increase your own understanding.
Disturbed by violence: Take a stand (Sartre, Camus, Dr. King, Desmond Tutu). Work against violence. Let the reduction of violence begin with you. Start with forgiveness, which allows you to understand why someone may be acting out through violence. Then you can figure out how to change the attitudes and conditions that produced their violence.
Anger management: Socrates: anger is a poison that harms the person holding it more than the person it’s directed at.
Money issues: Voltaire: provide benefits to the people and you’ll always have plenty.
Powerlessness: Buddha: eliminate cravings, and stick only to desires that support your enlightenment.
All causes of stress: applying the Philosophy of Caring Perhaps the best overall philosophy to become free of stress is the Philosophy of Caring as expressed by Nel Noddings and Carol Gilligan (see Feminist Thought tab, the PowerPoints on feminist thought, and pages 431-432 in the textbook). When you care about others, you have to start by caring about yourself, and this double arrow of awareness -- one inward, one outward -- leaves little room for worry and anger. This philosophy emphasizes forgiveness, and therefore eliminates Vengeance, or "getting back at people" as motivations.
By taking baby steps, one comes to see that all bad behavior, including one's own, can be understood, if not justified, and that nothing is unforgivable, because vengeance harms the seeker of revenge much more than its target. Harboring resentments causes severe stress, anger, worry, powerlessness, despondence and even money issues. Whole nations have fallen prey to corruption through seeking vengeance on other nations. Let it end with you!
In the survey given in class of what issues are most stressful,
the most cited were depression, violence, anger,
and the lack of money or power.
After each of these issues below, a philosophical approach is suggested
based on the philosophies we studied in the course.
Note that these are thumbnail responses and not detailed ones.
One’s own sadness or despondency:
Buddha and others said, "know yourself." There is a part of you that
is always even-tempered. Find it, shift to it when you get upset.
Spinoza emphasized that one’s own personal problems are not important.
They are only there to show you what you need to resolve
so that you can turn your attention to other issues.
Other people’s sadness or despondency:
Compassion heals all (Christianity & Buddhism).
Put yourself in their shoes, to increase your own understanding.
Disturbed by violence:
Take a stand (Sartre, Camus, Dr. King, Desmond Tutu).
Work against violence.
Let the reduction of violence begin with you.
Start with forgiveness, which allows you to understand
why someone may be acting out through violence.
Then you can figure out how to change the attitudes and conditions
that produced their violence.
Anger management:
Socrates: anger is a poison that harms the person holding it
more than the person it’s directed at.
Money issues:
Voltaire: provide benefits to the people and you’ll always have plenty.
Powerlessness:
Buddha: eliminate cravings, and stick only to desires that support
your enlightenment.
All causes of stress: applying the Philosophy of Caring
Perhaps the best overall philosophy to become free of stress is the Philosophy of Caring as expressed by Nel Noddings and Carol Gilligan
(see Feminist Thought tab, the PowerPoints on feminist thought, and pages 431-432 in the textbook).
When you care about others, you have to start by caring about yourself,
and this double arrow of awareness -- one inward, one outward --
leaves little room for worry and anger.
This philosophy emphasizes forgiveness, and therefore eliminates
Vengeance, or "getting back at people" as motivations.
By taking baby steps, one comes to see that all bad behavior,
including one's own, can be understood, if not justified,
and that nothing is unforgivable, because vengeance harms
the seeker of revenge much more than its target.
Harboring resentments causes severe stress, anger,
worry, powerlessness, despondence and even money issues.
Whole nations have fallen prey to corruption through
seeking vengeance on other nations.
Let it end with you!